RFID tags are used to identify an object and/or object user and to permit the object access to a service or area upon authentication or validation of the information provided by the RFID tag.
For example, such a tag can be used to identify one vehicle and services such as parking access, commercial fuel refilling or toll payments can then be provided to the vehicle and vehicle user.
However, for certain services it is important to assure that an RFID tag is associated with solely one object and remains associated with only that object.
For example, when an RFID tag permits access to a restricted parking area for which an annual subscription is paid for uniquely one vehicle, it is necessary to assure that only that one vehicle is allowed access to the parking facilities and that the RFID tag cannot be transferred and used with other vehicles. At the very least, it should be assured that any such transfer can be determined.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,242,916 discloses an RFID tag that is wrapped around an object using an attaching band. The attachment of the tag to an object compresses an elastic member of the tag to therein store elastic energy. The complete removal of the tag permits the release of the stored elastic energy which results in the RFID tag being damaged.
However, this RFID tag will remain functional if removed from the object in a manner that prevents the elastic member expanding and releasing the energy stored therein. Moreover, as such a tag ages the stored elastic energy will gradually be lost and it cannot be assured that the tag will be rendered non-operational or tampering detected when the tag is removed from the object after a long period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,301,462 discloses an electronic tag having a hard plastic support case for carrying an integrated circuit. An electronic circuit is attached to the integrated circuit. When the tag is removed from the object to which it is attached, the integrated circuit interconnection to the electronic circuit breaks, and the integrated circuit together with the support case is removed while the electronic circuit remains attached to the object, thereby rendering the tag inoperable.
However, the removal process of the tag from the object does not assure that the tag is rendered inoperable because the interconnection may not fully break if the tag is slowly removed. Moreover, during a gentle removal action the imminent separation of the integrated circuit together with the support case from the remaining circuit may become apparent and the removal action interrupted and replaced by an alternative removal manner that ensures that the entire tag is removed and tampering is not detected. Indeed, the tag of U.S. Pat. No. 7,301,462 even includes a notch permitting to remove the tag without rendering the tag inoperable that would then likely be exploited.
The present invention addresses the above mentioned problems of known tags.